Dodging the Bullet
by Endo Pryde
Summary: Collection of battletech stories.
1. Info notice

Dodging the Bullet  
  
This is a collection of several short stories. They are just little things that I like to write and not take up too much space. I will post information on the battlemechs used in these stories after each one is done. and please, review.  
  
Oh, one more thing. This is kinda official but I need to do this so I do not get in trouble.  
All Battlemech designs that I use are copywrigted by WizKids LLC, I did not make them up. Same also applies to planet names and some cities (if they are mentioned at all). As far as bloodnames go, I do not know but I pulled them from field manuals so I will say they are not mine either. 


	2. Convoy intercept

At the base of the old Star League era CHP-2N Champion, Endo Pryde started inspecting the ankle actuators. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. He instantly spun around and came inches from the face of his saKhan, Mariel Roshak. "The usual reaction Endo, quaiff?" she asked. "I honestly think that you need something else to do other than startle me all the time." He replied. Mariel response was just a chuckle as she shook her head. The other three members of his star entered together engaged in conversation. "The slackers have arrived" Endo said quietly to Mariel as she started towards her mech for this mission, a newer design, the Prowler OmniMech. The other three members formed in on the preliminary checks on their mechs. Kier Pershaw strode confidently towards his STY-3C Starslayer. Lionel Thastus, the newest member of there star (even though he had been in for at least two years) slowly walked towards his B1-HND Bloodhound. Karianna Clees was already at her DV-6M Dervish, which was also an aging design. They all had been together for at least two years, however Mariel had been in Endo's Star ever since he was blooded. They had fought side-by-side for several years and known each other well. He would not trust anyone more than her to watch his back in the heat of battle. They both looked upon the two of the other members of there star as rookies. Kier had proven his skill to them and was a valuable asset, although he still could not compete with either Endo or Mariel. In battle however, they were the best the galaxy could offer.  
  
"We are going to intercept and destroy an escorted convoy of ammunition to a Lyran regiment before the rest of our cluster launches an assault at their fortified position." Endo Pryde started his mission briefing. "There are somewhere around twenty trucks escorted by two battlemech lances and one light tank lance. Our star has to destroy all the defenders and then destroy all the ammo haulers two kilometers after they come out of this mountain pass." He then pointed to the pass on the hologrid. "sir, but why do we not ambush them in the pass?" Lionel Thastus was questioning his plans again. The rest of the star sneered as Endo made his reply. "The answer is simple, eyas. They will be expecting us to ambush them there. Their guard will be down afterwards and we can at least destroy one mech before they notice what the hell is going on." Lionel shrunk after the insult Endo threw at him. He would never get used to his Khan's way of thinking, no matter how well he preformed in battle.  
  
"five minutes out" Mariel radioed in from her vantage point on a small hill on the snow-covered landscape. Mariel backed her mech behind the hill in preparation for the ambush. Five minutes later the head of an Enfield battlemech could be made out from the behind the hill. "NOW!" Endo screamed into his radio as hi triggered his AC/10 and SRM 6. The AC/10 struck exactly where he had aimed it, the "head" or cockpit of the mech obliterating armor and wounding the pilot the SRMs then crashed into the torso and head, killing the pilot. The Enfield smashed to the ground with a grinding thud. He looked over to his next target, the largest mech of both lances, an Avatar. Triggering his AC/10 again he flanked the mech and triggered his medium lasers and SRM 6. The autocannon hit the right torso, destroyed some of the missile tubes and then the SRMs exploded some of the ammo in the left launcher, sending the mech off course. The pilot was skilled enough to maintain balance enough to fire his LB 10-X autocannon at Endo. The slug hit Endo's left torso and spun his mech. He fired his autocannon again and struck the Center torso. As he fired his medium lasers, he was struck from behind by an enemy Enforcer. This sent one of his lasers into the avatars leg actuator, freezing it. He finished the job by throwing his mech backwards at his attacker and launching a volley of SRMs at the crippled avatar. They punched though the right torso and destroyed the ammunition stockpiled there. This sent the mech smoking to the ground. The enemy Enforcer was not expecting the rearward charge and clumsily dodged to Endo's Right. Since Endo was still moving backwards this gave him the chance to open fire on the rear torso of the Enforcer. He fired all his weapons and sent the mech to the ground with a gaping hole in the rear torso. He lined up his sights on the last remaining battlemech, a Sha Yu just as a lance of laser light from Kier Pershaw's Starslayer destroyed what was left of the mech's internal structure. The other mechs were all blasted into oblivion by the rest of his star. As were the defending vehicles. They had done their job well, but he had proved to them why he was Khan. He had single handedly taken down three mechs out of the eight total, which was almost half! In the chaos of battle everyone knew they had done their part.  
  
After they returned to base, the entire cluster thanked their star for the help that they had done. They were heroes! Endo smiled and looked at Mariel, who was always at his side. "I think we just barely got by on this one." He commented. "Aff, you could have taken down at least one more mech." She said, also smiling. Endo chuckled slightly and so did Mariel. They had done things spheroids never even dreamed about, and no one would come between them. 


	3. Planetary Assault

"They are not going to expect this one" Kier Pershaw spoke up looking at the star of DRG-1N Dragons to be used in the assault on the Combine world of Shirotori, a small planet two jumps away from Tukayyid. This was a large scale planetside assault in attempt to deal a significant moral blow to Kurita forces throughout the galaxy and to assert Falcon supremacy. The goal Endo Pryde's star was to use one of the most popular battlemech designs in the DCMS to show the Dragon that they were inferior to the Clans not only technologically, but skillfully as well. Endo had full command of the cluster that was making the assault on Shirotori and hopefully the DCMS forces would abandon the planet for the Falcons to take easily, however the cluster could easily "mop up" the remaining DCMS without reinforcements. If the Draconis Combine wanted the world badly enough they would supply reinforcements. The reinforcements however would be easily destroyed by the Conqueror Battlecruiser that had brought them here. A Fen Huang class Cruiser would provide the rest of the dropships for the invasion and additional fire support for the Conqueror in case of a counterattack. This would strike the heart of the Draconis Combine and provide a significant moral advantage for the Jade Falcons in the battles to come.  
  
"Two strike trinaries will be descending from the Final Glory in two hours. The other three trinaries will be on alert status if you are needed. Mercer class dropships will be used for launch. One star per trinary will have to wait for the dropship's return in order to prepare. We are performing a hot orbital drop to maximize surprise although even before you enter the atmosphere, you will be noticed. Go in with guns blazing and do not worry about stealth. My star will be the first off of the dropsip. Questions?" No hands. "Excellent, now gear up and be ready for your launch!"  
  
"Five.four.three.two.one.DROP" came the command over the radio. The five pods of Endo's star were jettisoned simultaneously from the Mercer class and started their descent towards the surface of Shriotori. In battle he would only have to exercise control over his star or at most his trinary, so he did not need to contemplate tactics now, he just needed to worry about his individual combat skills. The capitol city of Shirotori was protected by five battlemech lances. They were not elite, but had seen their fair share of combat. Brace for impact! The drop pod hit the surface with a loud smash. The sides of the cocoon fell away and Endo Immediately moved his Dragon to the predetermined rally point. The sixty ton mech moved swiftly over the rough terrain. The rest of his star was at the rally point when he arrived. "Alpha Star, we will attack the west side of the city. All four enemy lances are out on the plains outside the city, we will destroy them first. NOW MOVE!" Almost at once all five of the Dragons lurched forward and plodded towards the target zone. The first mech that could be seen was an Akuma, which weighed a massive ninety tons. It was currently in a shoot off with a Turkina. He fired his LRM 10 and AC/5. The missiles and slug found their mark in the Akuma's Right shoulder and torso. The Akuma took little notice, intent on finishing of the heavier Turkina. Endo kept his mech in a full run and fired his medium laser at the Akuma the laser hit the Akuma in the right torso and melted armor there. He then fired is autocannon. The slug found its way into the side of the Akuma's head. This threw off the pilot's aim and the PPC shot intended for the Turkina flew off into the sky. The Akuma's pilot could no longer ignore Endo. He turned his torso and fired a snapshot from his LB 10- X autocannon. The submunitions plinked off of the armor in Endo's Dragon's chest. Here the Turkina seized this opportunity and fired both of his LRM 15s into the weakened right torso of the Akuma. It was now up to Endo to finish the job. He fired all his forward weapons into the now exposed internal structure of the Akuma's Center torso. The Endo Steel there simply was blown away. The Akuma fell to the ground, defeated. The next target Endo chose to attack was a smaller Chameleon. Endo fired his AC/5 at his new target and hit it full on the chest. The Chameleon returned fire with his large laser. The laser struck Endo's Dragon in the left torso and melted a large portion of the armor located there. Endo turned and walked his mech to the right while still keeping his torso centered on the opposing Chameleon. Endo Triggered his LRM 10 and AC/5. The LRMs hit the center torso where the autocannon had landed before and the second autocannon round smashed into the Chameleon's internal structure and the impact threw the mech to its left. A final shot from Endo's Medium laser melted the internal structure and the chameleon fired one more shot from one of its medium lasers before being sent to the ground. The last target still alive was an Awesome. It had been heavily damaged in the fight and had just taken down a Vapor Eagle. The Awesome shot off one of its PPCs at Endo. The Shot struck him in his left leg and slowed his mech down significantly. Then an autocannon round came from the Awesome's right and impacted in its arm actuator, rendering the PPC there useless. Endo seized the opportunity. He squeezed off a shot from his medium laser. The laser hit the Awesome's right knee and the behemoth smashed into the ground. Then Endo fired his LRMs at the crippled mech's back while it was laying on the ground. A lance of laser light then struck the awesome in the back right before his missiles hit. The LRMs managed to punch through the rear armor of the Awesome and sent its fusion core critical. The Awesome disappeared in a blinding flash of white light. Endo looked to see where the shots that had helped him destroy the Awesome came from and he saw another Dragon standing about two hundred meters to the left of the Awesome. It was Kier! One of his star! "Alpha and Bravo Trinaries, status report!" he called over the radio and one by one each of the mechs in the six stars that made up the assault reported in. only three were lost in the combat. They now had control of the city.  
  
The moral aspect of the war worked as planned. Once word of the guards of he capitol city reached the rest of the units, most were ordered to pull off of Shirotori. The DCMS would not let this stay, however. They were most likely planning a counterattack, they just ordered the units to fall back because they did not have the amount of forces to break the Falcon's hold on the capitol. Their time here was not over yet. They still had a lot more to worry about, but for now they would bask in their moment of victory. 


	4. Trial

The Awesome powered up. In its heyday there was no good counter. The three particle projection cannons would turn any 'mech into mincemeat in a few volleys. Now the batlemech was outdated, but still could pack a punch to anyone who found themselves on the business end of its three PPCs. The awesome plodded alone into the dome that the trial was to be held. Using a vintage Star League era 'mech would surely humiliate his opponent, what was his name again? I don't care, he will be dead soon. He had been a pilot from another clan that had challenged Endo Pryde. He didn't think that the Mechwarrior knew his opponents position, other than he was a Falcon. The idiot! Endo's sensor suite beeped, there was a new contact. A few seconds later the sensors identified his opponent, a Predator. Such a new design, it was a shame it had to go to waste. Endo fired two of the three PPCs at his opponent. One caught the Predator in its right torso, right below its autocannon. The second struck the knee on the right leg. Endo immediately started to walk backwards, he had the range advantage over his opponent, he needed to keep it. The third PPC's flash brightly lit up the scenery as it struck the nose of the Predator's Left autocannon. The Predator was in a full run now, trying to get into range. Endo smiled as he triggered all three of his PPCs putting the Awesome's reactor on the verge of shutdown. Two of PPCs hit their mark, one in the Preadator's left torso, melting throught the armor and destroying the internal structure and LBX autocannon other , another flew over the predator's head. The third hit the mech in its center torso, which disoriented the pilot a little. But not enough so the autocannon slug struck the Awesome's torso. Te Predator pilot made his fatal mistake in the charge. Because the predator was struck in the chest with the Awesome's heavy battle fist in the same spot where the last PPC shot landed, this blew through the armor and damaged the internal structure. The Predator staggered back, in a drunken sort of way, then Endo leveled the right-arm PPC with the gaping hole in the torso. He smirked as he discharged the weapon. The mech crumpled and fell to the ground, utterly demolished. Endo then piloted his mech back towards his side of the arena. That warrior had made the mistake of challenging a Falcon. He probably wouldn't make that mistake again. He had also made the mistake of challenging their best warrior. Behind him Endo could see the warrior on the ground looking at the pile of rubble that used to be his mech. He recalled his favorite passage from the Remembrance. "With Falcon sight we choose our foes. On Falcon wings we harry them. With Falcon claws we smite our foes. And with Falcon tenacity we win." 


End file.
